Dan Bongino Leaving FBI: ‘God Bless America, And All Those Who Defend Her’
Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino announced Wednesday that he plans to leave the bureau in January.
Bongino made the announcement in a post on X, shortly after President Donald Trump hinted at the move during comments at Joint Base Andrews. “I think he wants to go back to his show,” Trump remarked, suggesting Bongino may return to his popular media career.
“I will be leaving my position with the FBI in January. I want to thank President Trump, AG Bondi, and Director Patel for the opportunity to serve with purpose. Most importantly, I want to thank you, my fellow Americans, for the privilege to serve you. God bless America, and all those who defend Her,” Bongino wrote.
Appointed by Trump in February, Bongino brought years of law enforcement experience to the role, having previously served in the NYPD and the U.S. Secret Service. Before re-entering public service, he gained national attention as a conservative media commentator and a fierce critic of DOJ scandals like Crossfire Hurricane and the Epstein investigation.
During his time at the FBI, one of Bongino’s major priorities was solving the case of the January 5, 2021 pipe bombs planted outside the Republican and Democratic national headquarters in Washington, D.C. That effort led to a recent breakthrough, with Attorney General Pam Bondi saying the arrest of a suspect was “the best birthday present” Bongino could have asked for.
Bondi’s tenure as attorney general has been marked by controversy, including the handling of the Epstein case and her release of documents to right-wing media. According to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Bondi failed to understand the political importance of the Epstein files and alienated key allies in the process.
“I think she completely whiffed on appreciating that that was the very targeted group that cared about this,” Wiles told Vanity Fair. “First she gave them binders full of nothingness. And then she said that the witness list, or the client list, was on her desk. There is no client list, and it sure as hell wasn’t on her desk.”
Wiles, however, praised Bongino and FBI Director Kash Patel for taking the Epstein investigation seriously and pursuing the truth. Both men, long outspoken on the issue before joining the FBI, conducted an internal review into whether hidden government records on Epstein existed. They later concluded that no secret files were being withheld and shared those findings with the public.
Despite that, tensions over the Epstein case reportedly caused a rift between Bongino and Bondi. Rumors of Bongino’s departure had circulated for months, with insiders citing frustration over how the DOJ was handling sensitive matters.
As Bongino prepares to step down, many expect him to return to media, where his voice remains a powerful force in the conservative movement.